Facts:
The scientific name for your Leopard Gecko is Eublepharis Macularius, which means "true eye-lid" and "spotted" in Latin. They are members of the Gekkonidae-- or Gecko family. Leopard Geckos are originally from the arid, high desert mountains of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, and India.
Description:
Leopard Geckos are medium-sized lizards that come in a variety of colors and patterns from tan coloration to bright orange, with dark spots or patterns, and some having no pattern at all. Their bodies are covered with raised tubercles, and they have fat tails which store water and fat. They have large, expressive eyes, and the appearance of a smile on their faces. The average size of a full-grown adult is approximately 6-7” and 50-60 grams for females and up to 9” and 70-80 grams for males.
Housing:
As a general rule, allow a minimum of about 12 X 12 inches of surface area per adult Leopard Gecko. Leopard Geckos like to hide in cave-like dwellings kept on the warm side of their enclosure. Adult male Leopard Geckos must never be housed together in the same vivarium or they will fight and injure or kill each other. A single male can be kept with several females, and several females can share the same enclosure. Leopard Geckos are housed in crowded conditions may become territorial and fight over space, and especially food. Larger, older, and more dominant Leopard Geckos may bully and intimidate smaller, weaker or younger ones. Leopard geckos seem to thrive the best when housed individually. Do NOT house adult Leopard Geckos with babies or any other reptile species.
Substrates:
Loose substrates that could be ingested by your Leopard Gecko such as sand, bark, fish tank pebbles, or walnut shells are not recommended, as they can be extremely harmful to their digestive system and may even cause death if they are swallowed. Be aware that it is a known fact that some Leopard Geckos, (especially babies) have died from intestinal impaction resulting from consuming too much sand while "striking" at crickets. Leopard Geckos are not good candidates for calcium-sand. Substrates such as reptile carpet, slate, or unglazed ceramic tiles can make more naturalistic enclosures, but nearly all breeders will agree that paper towels or newspaper are the best choice.
Lighting:
Unlike most other reptiles that bask in the sun to keep warm and to assimilate Vitamin D from natural sunlight, Leopard Geckos are mainly nocturnal so they do not require special lighting. Keep in mind that additional overhead lighting will raise the ambient temperature in the enclosure. Be aware that Leopard Geckos' eyes are very sensitive and their eyesight is poor in bright light. Never expose your gecko to direct sunlight.
Heating:
All reptiles are cold-blooded and rely on the temperature of their surrounding environment to keep warm or cool. Use an under tank (UTH) heater on one side only of the Leopard Gecko's enclosure, thus allowing them to move back and forth within the tank to adjust their own body temperature. This is known as thermal regulation, and it is critical for their metabolism, digestion and immune systems. The ideal temperature for Leopard Geckos is around 90-94° on the floor surface of the warm side of their enclosure, and normal room temperature (around 70-74°) on the cool side. Using belly heat is recommended instead of overhead heat sources since in their natural habitat they utilize the heat absorbed from the sun in the rocks to aid in their digestion.
Shedding:
Reptiles shed their skin on regular basis, and Leopard Geckos should molt about every 2-4 weeks. Unlike some other reptiles, Leopard Geckos will eat the skin after it comes off, so don't be alarmed if you don't see any shed skin in their enclosure! It is extremely important that ALL the skin comes off, especially from the eyelids and toes, as geckos can lose their digits to infection if the skin does not completely shed. If shedding is a problem for your Gecko, it may be necessary to keep the substrate around their cave moist by misting it with water, placing a damp paper towel inside, or adding a separate, moist hide in their enclosure. For severe cases of stuck shed, soaking your Leopard Gecko's feet in ½ inches of warm water and then using a swab, very gently remove any residual skin from their toes or eyelids in a rolling motion. Loose skin can be removed manually.
Handling:
At first, it is best to slowly offer your hand, kept low with your palm up, before picking up your Gecko. Avoid reaching down from over their head to grab them because they may become startled thinking you are a predator coming down to attack them. Always handle your Leopard Gecko with care, and never grab it by the tail. Like all lizards, when they are attacked or threatened they can "drop" their tails. When a lizard loses its tail, it becomes vulnerable to disease and infection until it grows a new one. Leopard Geckos will eventually grow new tails, but the regenerated ones are never quite as nice as the original. Since they are desert dwellers, they store water, fat, and nutrients in their tail (just like camels store water in their humps) so it is important they don’t lose their tails.
Feeding:
Leopard Geckos mainly eat live crickets, mealworms, roach nymphs, and silk-worms. Be careful not to feed them anything larger than about 3/4 the size of their heads to prevent choking. Appropriate sized mealworms can be put in a small bowl with added calcium at all times. Babies should be fed 5-7 small crickets or roach nymphs every day until they reach about 4 inches in length, then larger prey every other day until they become full-grown in about 10 -12 months. Adults can be fed 6-7 large crickets or roaches 2 or 3 times a week. Waxworms should be fed only occasionally because they are high in fat and cholesterol, and Leopard Geckos can become spoiled if they are fed them too often and refuse other food items. Giving your gecko a variety of foods is recommended.
Supplements:
Since Leopard Geckos assimilate calcium and vitamins from their diet, feeder insects must be "dusted" with a mixture of ultra-fine calcium powder every 2 or 3 feedings, and reptile vitamins once a week. Add calcium or vitamin powder in a zip-lock bag or commercial cricket duster and "dust" live food items prior to feeding by shaking them gently in the bag or container. The health of your Leopard Gecko is dependent on the proper supplementation of calcium and vitamins; otherwise, serious diseases can result. Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) is caused by calcium deficiency, and can permanently disfigure or ultimately kill your Leopard Gecko.
Gut Loading:
Live crickets, roaches, and mealworms should be fed nutritious food like pieces of whole grain cereal, oatmeal, squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, collard greens, kale, and a slice red potato for moisture. Roaches require high-protein diets.
Quarantine:
Regardless of where you get your Leopard Gecko it is critical that when you get any new addition to your Leopard Gecko colony, the new gecko(s) must be quarantined from any of your existing reptiles for at least 30 days, but 90 days is preferred. Countless Leopard Geckos and other reptiles have suffered and died needlessly as a result of one gecko infected with disease or parasites and transmitting it to other geckos.